In surgical procedures that require incisions, it is desirable to establish a clear and unobstructed view of the operating field. Various instruments are available to hold an incision open and maintain muscles, organs, blood vessels and other tissue out of the field of view. The desire to establish a clear and unobstructed view of the operating field must be balanced with the need to minimize trauma to the patient. Large incisions that strip muscle or damage delicate tissue lead to increased patient trauma, increased risk of complications from surgery and longer recovery times.
A number of retractor assemblies have been developed that hold open incisions, while limiting damage to tissue. These assemblies use long “blades” to hold open incisions. Many retractors are designed to be used in essentially one way, with a fixed arrangement of components. The components often have a limited range of motion, and only work with larger incisions. Moreover, many retractor systems have large levers and other obstructions that limit operability and the ability to neatly arrange the instrumentation over the incision. Often times, this limits the ability to move components smoothly to expand or retract the incision. Furthermore, known systems fail to adequately support the vertical position of the blades in the incision, and keep the blade arms stabilized. Based on all of these drawbacks, known retractor assemblies leave much to be desired in terms of operational flexibility, functionality, adaptability to different procedures, adaptability to different surgeon preferences, and other aspects.